Why Pistachios Are the Perfect Nuts for All Your Appetisers?

Are pistachios healthy or full of fat as some says? Are dried pistachios better than roasted ones? What are the health benefits of eating this nut? To discover all of this, you should keep reading!

It’s finally summer time and here come the drinks and appetisers time! Pretty hard to stay healthy when it’s the barbecue and snacks season.

Well, with some simple foods and drinks, you can do as always without any deprivation feeling. For example, nuts such as almond, pistachios and brazil nuts, are really good foods as they’re full of vitamins, minerals, fats and protein which are all very good for your health.

On this article, you’ll discover the pistachios from A to Z: where it’s from, the nutrition facts of dried and roasted pistachios and its health benefits. Stay until the end, you’ll get some bonus recipes 🙂

Pistachio Tree: Against All Odds!

As you may know, pistachios come from the pistachio tree which has originated in Minor Asia. It can produce pistachios twice a year.

Pistachios had been introduced in the mediterranean area since more than a century now. Pistachio tree is really robust as it can survive to either really hot weathers or cold ones. It can live up to 150 years!

You can find pistachio trees in the wild in the mountainous regions from Central Asia and Russia. It’s cultivated in almost every Middle-East countries and Central Asia, but also in the mediterranean area in Europe and in America, especially in California where it’s been since 1890. Turkey, Iran, Palestine and Syria are others big producers of pistachios.

Focus on the Pistachio Nut

On the tree, pistachios grow in clusters. Every pistachio contains in the middle a rounded and greenish grain with a sweet taste. It’s usually covered with a thin brownish layer. The grain is located inside a hard shell that is laterally opened when the nut is mature.

The picking is either by hand or by mechanically shaking the tree. The pistachios which felt on the ground are then soaked in order to divide them from their envelope. Finally, they are dried in the sun and ready to eat 🙂

Pistachio Nutrition Facts

Dried Pistachios

Dried Roasted Pistachios

Water

4%

2,1%

Proteins

10,3g

7,5g

Fats

24,2g

26,4g

Carbs

12,4g

13,8g

Fiber

5,4g

2,9g

Quantity: 50g

Note that 83% of the fats are composed of unsaturated fats (68% are monounsaturated fats and 15% of polyunsaturated fats) which are the “good” fats. Indeed, these fats have positive effects on your health, which is not the case of saturated fats and trans fats. It’s important to note that fat is essential to the human organism as the cells in the body need to have some inside their membranes.

That’s not all! Pistachio is a very nutritious nut, which:

Contains lots of potassium, magnesium, thiamin and copper

Is full of iron and phosphorus

Also has a good amount of folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid and zinc

Is loaded with vitamin B6, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin C

Has lots of fibers

Top Health Benefits of Pistachios

Promote heart health thanks to the unsaturated fats and phytosterols which are antioxidants

Help with your weight management and with satiety regulation as they are energy-dense foods low in calories, high in protein, low in saturated fat, and high in unsaturated fats

Boost the absorption of Iron thanks to the high amount of copper, which helps in a better absorption of iron into the body from food sources

Tips to Buy, Store, and Cook Pistachios

When you buy some pistachios, prefer dried rather roasted ones as they have a better nutritive intake. Try to take some with no added salt. Also, shelled pistachios are best conserved in vacuum package or canned.

To store pistachios, keep them into a airtight container away from humidity. In their shell, they can stay for 3 months into your fridge or 1 year in your freezer. Be careful, once they’re unshelled, you can still put them for 3 months in your fridge but avoid your freezer!

You can eat the whole pistachio, or grounded or chopped ones. To cook pistachios, choose some cream colored one and avoid too colorful or red ones. There are many ways to eat / cook pistachios:

Add them into salads and sauces

Cook some in cakes or puddings

Create a pistachio flavoured ice cream

As in mediterranean and oriental cuisine, use them in meat or chicken based meals or add them into yummy pastries

Indian add them to rice or with vegetables

How to remove the brownish pellicule on pistachios?

To do so, you’ll need to blanch them into boiling water during 2 or 3 minutes. After draining them, allow them to cool a bit. When they’re still warm, rub them so that the pellicule goes away.

3 Sweet and Savory Pistachios Recipes

Salted Pistachio Dark Chocolate Truffles

You won't believe how heaven these truffles taste! It's only 4 healthy ingredients and pretty easy to make.
Good idea is to freeze them to make ice pops 🙂

Prep Time2 hrs

Ingredients

1cup1 cup heavy whipping cream

2tspunsalted butter

340gdark chocolate chips

1cupsalted pistachios , shelled

Ingredients

Ingredients

1cup1 cup heavy whipping cream

2tspunsalted butter

340gdark chocolate chips

1cupsalted pistachios , shelled

Directions

1

You won't believe how heaven these truffles taste! It's only 4 healthy ingredients and pretty easy to make.
Good idea is to freeze them to make ice pops 🙂

Almond Pistachio Ice Cream

This creamy and sweet recipe is perfect for the coming hot summer days! If you're looking for a wildly satisfying snack, then don't look further. It's loaded with almonds and pistachios and their amazing health benefits 🙂

Prep Time1 hrCook Time1 hrTotal Time2 hrs

Ingredients

150g raw cashews, soaked overnight

¾cupfinely ground pistachio dust

414mlfull-fat or light coconut milk

3tspolive oil or melted coconut oil

¼cupmaple syrup

¼cuporganic cane sugar

2tsppure vanilla extract

⅛cupsea salt

Ingredients

Ingredients

150g raw cashews, soaked overnight

¾cupfinely ground pistachio dust

414mlfull-fat or light coconut milk

3tspolive oil or melted coconut oil

¼cupmaple syrup

¼cuporganic cane sugar

2tsppure vanilla extract

⅛cupsea salt

Directions

1

This creamy and sweet recipe is perfect for the coming hot summer days! If you're looking for a wildly satisfying snack, then don't look further. It's loaded with almonds and pistachios and their amazing health benefits 🙂

Mediterranean Inspired Avocado Toast with Pistachio Dukkah

This avocado toast recipe is simple, pretty, and so satisfying. That's the perfect fancier combination of the famous avocado toast recipes. It's only composed of healthy ingredients so you have to give it a try! Next weekend, cook it for your brunch and let us know what you think about it 🙂

Prep Time15 minsCook Time10 minsTotal Time25 mins

Ingredients

½cupraw pistachios

¼cup black or white sesame seeds

2tspcumin seeds

1tspcoriander seeds

2tspdried oregano

2pieces crusty whole grain bread

2tspsun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

2tspkalamata olives roughly chopped

1ripe avocado

juice + zest from 1/2 lemon

1poached or fried eggs

feta cheese

Ingredients

Ingredients

½cupraw pistachios

¼cup black or white sesame seeds

2tspcumin seeds

1tspcoriander seeds

2tspdried oregano

2pieces crusty whole grain bread

2tspsun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

2tspkalamata olives roughly chopped

1ripe avocado

juice + zest from 1/2 lemon

1poached or fried eggs

feta cheese

Directions

1

This avocado toast recipe is simple, pretty, and so satisfying. That's the perfect fancier combination of the famous avocado toast recipes. It's only composed of healthy ingredients so you have to give it a try! Next weekend, cook it for your brunch and let us know what you think about it 🙂

ABOUT US

What you eat impact your health, body, and mind. We make it our mission to help you eat smarter, live better, and be happier! Also, healthy doesn't mean boring. Time to bring variety and colors in your plate!